Vending machine



July 28, 1931. w. A. COURTENAY. JR 1,816,470

' VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1'7, 1928 2 Sheetsheet 2 Patented July 28,1931 UNITED STATES- "PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM A. COURTENAY, JR., OFCHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SUN OIL- COMPANY, OFYPHILADELPI-IIA,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY VENDING MACHINE This inventionrelates to a vending machine and particularly to the type used forvending gasoline,kn0wn as a gasoline pump.

In vending gasoline it is desirable to give visual indication to thepurchaser of the type of gasoline which he is buying and accordingly ithas become customary to provide gasoline pumps with transparent chambersinto which the gasoline is pumped and later withdrawn therefrom into thetank of an automobile.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple vendingmachine of this character having a visible chamber. It 1s a furtherobject to provide a simple mode of illumination for this transparentchamber so as to render the contents thereof visible Fig. 4 is a bottomplan view of said head.

The vending machine comprises a casing 2 of thin metal Which may be ofcircular or more or less polygonal form and, as illustrated, consists ofa substantially rectangular casing the edges of which are rounded.Secured to the top of the casing to form a cover for the same is a head4 of a dome shape, the central portion 6 of which is in the form of arelatively heavy block from opposite sides of which project fiatportions 8. Head 4 is preferably a casting, the shape being produced bythe use of suitable mould and cores. A circular groove 10 is formed inthe upper surface of the heavy central portion 6 and is adapted toreceive the lower edge of a cylindrical glass tube 12. Surrounding tube12 is a top 14 which is held in contact with the glass through themedium of up standing threaded bolts 16 adapted to receive nuts 18 tobind head 14 down upon tube 12 and tube 12 down Within groove 10 wherebya liquid-tight transparent cham-' ber is produced.

I A plurality of upwardly converging passages 20 and 22 are formedinblock 6 forming conduits which provide an inlet and an exit for liquidin the transparent chamber. Pivoted adjacent the upper openings of theseconduits is a pin-wheel 24, or a similar device, which, by rotation dueto the current of gasoline or other liquid passing into and out of thetransparent chamber, will give visual indication of flow. I

Thereis diagrammatically represented at 26 a pump which may be hand ormotor operated to pump gasoline through piping 28 into the intakepassage 20. Communicating with outlet passage 22 is a pipe 30, to thelower end of which is secured a T-connection" providing for a divisionof the flow through plpe 30 into pipes 32, each of which communicateswith a suitable measuring meter 34. Extending outwardly from each meter34 is an exit pipe 36 which, at 38 on the outside of the casing, may beconnected to a flexible hose, or the like, through which the gasolinemay be delivered into the tank of an automobile.

As most clearly shown in Fig. 2, meters 34"- ticularly if a coloredgasoline is being vended.

What I claim and ters Patent is These lenses desire to protect by Let-7 1. A vending machine comprising a casing, a head for the caslng, atransparent chamber on the head, a plurality of conduits in the l headproviding an inlet and an exit for liquid in the chamber, said headhaving openings therein, lenses in said openings, and sources of lightWithin the head arranged to illuminate the chamber through the lenses.

2. A vending machine comprising a casing, a head for the casing,atransparent chamber surmounting the head, a plurality of adjacentupwardly extending conduits in the head providing an inlet andan exitforliquid in the chamber, and means for indicatingflow of liquid in thechamber comprising a Wheel carrying vanes and mounted with its axistransverse to and between the openings of the two conduits wherebyincomingliquid acts on the Wheel at one side of its axis and outgoingliquid acts on the Wheel atthe other side of its axis thereby turning itduringflow.

In testimony of Which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, atPhiladelphia, Pa., on this 14th day of Sept, 1928'.

VILLIAM A. COURTENAY, JR.

